White Sox Minor Keys: July 6, 2022

As prospect outlets revise their top 100 prospects lists at midseason, Colson Montgomery has climbed into the realm of the ranked. He’s No. 99 on Baseball America’s list, and five spots higher on MLB Pipeline’s.

That’s an undeniably positive development for a guy who’s having an undeniably excellent first full season, hitting .335/.434/.500 over 206 plate appearances between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem. The question from here: How high can he go?

I suppose that’s actually questions, because that could apply to tiers of prospect lists or where he finishes the season. Regarding the former, it could be higher than you think, because while Montgomery is ascending, Jarrett Seidler of Baseball Prospectus says the talent level around minor-league baseball is hitting a lull.

In general, as we’ve been compiling the forthcoming Midseason 50, we’ve struggled to find the appropriate quality of prospects. Our 70 OFP tier extended through No. 24 Max Meyer on the 101; it might not go much past No. 10 for midseason. We typically have 60 OFPs down to near the bottom of the Top 101, and sometimes even past it, and we’ve been talking about some players for the last few spots of the Midseason 50 who might only be a 55 OFP right now. A strong draft in position players will help, and there will be further player development in the second half and the fall, but it’s unambiguous to us right now that the minors lack in both the typical top-end talent and depth of national list-relevant top prospects.

There are a whole bunch of variables beyond normal variance that affect prospect lists at this particular juncture: incentives for prospect promotions, smaller draft classes, fewer affiliates, and the other lingering affects of the pandemic. He also admits that normal variance could be the dominant factor, but if Montgomery’s on the higher end of his personal spectrum while the sport is ebbing, maybe he has tens of spots to go.

Charlotte 4, Gwinnett 2

• Adam Haseley went 1-for-3 with a homer, walk and strikeout in his return to Triple-A.
• Yolbert Sánchez was 0-for-3 with a walk, and he was caught stealing.
• Carlos Pérez walked twice during an 0-for-2 night.
• Davis Martin: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 52 of 83 pitches for strikes.

Tennessee 8, Birmingham 0

• José Rodríguez’s hitting streak ended at eight games by going 0-for-4.
• Yoelqui Céspedes went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

Wilmington 7, Winston-Salem 5

• Colson Montgomery went 1-for-3 with a sac fly and a walk.
• Oscar Colás went 3-for-5 and stole his first base.
• Bryan Ramos and Luis Mieses were both 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.
• Adam Hackenberg, 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

Kannapolis 6, Carolina 1

• Wes Kath walked twice and struck out twice.
• Wilfred Veras went 1-for-4 with his 12th homer and a strikeout.
• DJ Gladney went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

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